Featured news
08 Dec 2023
Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda is warmer and more acidic than ever, 40 years of observation show
Data spanning 40 years shows changes in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean near the island of Bermuda, including warming by 1°C
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15 news posts in Ecosystems
Environment
09 Nov 2023
Forests with multiple tree species are 70% more effective as carbon sinks than monoculture forests
by Deborah Pirchner, Frontiers science writer Image: Shutterstock.com Forests are excellent at absorbing and storing carbon and can play a role in meeting global net zero targets. As more countries commit to forest creation, but mainly plant single species forests, an international team of researchers has examined how carbon stocks in mixed forests and monocultures compare. They found that mixed forests store more carbon, and that out of the forests assessed those with four species had the highest carbon stocks relative to monocultures. To slow the effects of climate change, conserve biodiversity, and meet the sustainable development goals, replanting trees is vital. Restored forests store carbon within the forest’s soil, shrubs, and trees. Mixed forests are especially effective at carbon storage, as different species with complementary traits can increase overall carbon storage. Compared to single-species forests, mixed forests are also more resilient to pests, diseases, and climatic disturbances, which increases their long-term carbon storage potential. The delivery of other ecosystem services is also greater in mixed species forests, and they support higher levels of biodiversity. Although the benefits of diverse forest systems are well known, many countries’ restoration commitments are focused on establishing monoculture plantations. Given this practice, an international […]
Featured news
18 Dec 2018
Marine Protected Areas overlook a large fraction of biodiversity hotspots
Lack of knowledge when designating MPAs lets ecologically important species slip through the net, but small, targeted changes can have big effects on protected area efficiency: Frontiers in Marine Science
Featured news
15 Aug 2018
Invaluable to the medical industry, the horseshoe crab is under threat
Horseshoe crab blood is invaluable for drug and safety testing, but this commercial demand threatens these ‘living fossils’: Frontiers in Marine Science
Environment
18 Apr 2018
High levels of hazardous chemicals found in plastics collected from Lake Geneva
The first analysis of plastic from the lake’s beaches finds cadmium, mercury and lead, sometimes at levels exceeding those permitted under EU law: Frontiers in Environmental Science
Life sciences
02 Mar 2018
Moths in mud can uncover prehistoric secrets
Revolutionary new technique for studying lake sediments can reveal when prehistoric insect swarms occurred: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Life sciences
21 Feb 2018
High levels of microplastics found in Northwest Atlantic fish
Study finds microplastics in 73 percent of mesopelagic fish caught in the Northwest Atlantic – one of the highest levels globally: Frontiers in Marine Science
Frontiers news
13 Feb 2018
10,000th microbiology article published today!
The article, on vitamin B12 production by a marine microbe, comes from scientists at the University of California and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Featured news
12 Feb 2018
Modern man vs. giant animals
Extinct herbivorous megafauna — like woolly rhinos, giant sloths and mammoths — were displaced by humans who partly took their place in the ecosystem: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Featured news
02 Feb 2018
Seabed mining could destroy deep sea ecosystems
The first global overview of seabed mining highlights potential environmental impacts, knowledge gaps and areas for future research: Frontiers in Marine Science
Environment
30 Oct 2017
Habitat restoration can maximize the benefits of marine protected areas
Spillover of oyster larvae from marine protected areas is only beneficial if harvested areas contain suitable oyster habitat, finds research in Frontiers in Marine Science.
Health
16 Oct 2017
Exploration of mesophotic coral ecosystems for new medicines
Research Topic will feed into policy recommendations to ensure sustainable practices for collecting marine resources in unexplored areas of the ocean
Life sciences
04 Apr 2017
Microbial colonisers of Arctic soils are sensitive to future climate change
New research in Frontiers In Earth Science shows that ecosystems created by melting glaciers in the Arctic are sensitive to climate change and human activity.
Life sciences
30 Nov 2016
The schoolyard interactions of Earth’s ecosystem
Predators eavesdrop on insect-plant interactions, while plants backstab the insects they attract, recent research shows
Environment
12 Feb 2016
Scientist at Red Sea Research Center looks at the role of bacteria in 3D coral reefs ecosystems
Christian Voolstra is working on establishing a model system for corals to help in the research that scientists cannot do in nature.